The rights group has accused paramilitary groups and government forces on one occasion of rounding up thousands of older boys and men who were then tortured, forcibly disappeared or extrajudicially executed.

Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International Iraq researcher said:

“Amnesty International is asking the international community, particularly states that provide support to the Iraqi authorities in their battle against ISIL not to turn blind eye on the systematic violations and war crimes that we have seen in the past two years.”

The human rights agency says its raising the alarm now as the military operation to recapture the ISIL-held city of Mosul gets underway.